The Summit, 701 King St W: Two Pools, Solariums and 1980s Space

The Summit is what King and Bathurst looked like before the glass towers arrived: a 1980s brick complex that runs from King down to Wellington, with an indoor pool, an outdoor pool and squash courts. Suites are bigger than new builds and cost far less per foot. You are buying space and amenities, and paying for them in age. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Part of a bigger complex between King and Wellington

The Summit was built as one phase of a master-planned complex on the block west of Bathurst between King and Wellington. This corporation, MTCC-648, covers 701 King West and 570 Wellington West. Listing sites also show a Summit II at 705 King West and a Summit III at 725 King West, and a row of townhouses at 574 Wellington West that was registered a month after this building.

That matters because the amenities are shared across the complex. Before you buy, ask the manager exactly which facilities belong to this corporation, which are shared, and how the shared costs are split. That split is part of your fee, and it is in the status certificate.

Condos.ca calls the building low-rise, but it lists 13 floors. Treat it as a mid-rise, and confirm the storey count for the specific address you are looking at.

Complexes of this era were planned with more land per suite than today’s towers, which is why there is room for a courtyard and an outdoor pool. That open courtyard is a big part of what you are buying. It also sits over the parking garage, so its waterproofing has its own repair cycle.

Two pools and squash courts

The amenity club is the big reason people choose the Summit. There is an indoor lap pool, an outdoor pool in a landscaped courtyard, squash courts, an indoor sports area, a gym and steam saunas, plus a party room, an outdoor terrace and concierge. Condos.ca also lists barbecues as permitted.

An outdoor pool is close to extinct in downtown condos, and almost no new building has squash. If you would use them, they replace a gym membership. If you would not, you are still paying for them.

Pools are among the most expensive things a condo can own. Ask about the age of the pool equipment, when the courtyard and pool decks were last redone, and what the reserve fund study plans for both.

Ask about hours, guest rules and how bookings work as well. Facilities shared by several buildings can get busy at peak times, and the rules decide how useful they really are to you.

Bigger rooms and enclosed solariums

Suites run roughly 676 to 1,077 sq ft, which is generous for downtown. One local agent’s building page describes broad living areas, separate dining spaces and enclosed solariums with full-height windows, which work well as a home office or reading room.

The trade-off is 1980s construction. Expect older windows, lower ceilings than a loft, and kitchens and bathrooms that vary a lot from suite to suite depending on what each owner has renovated. Walk the suite with an eye on the windows, the solarium glass and the heating and cooling equipment.

Condos.ca lists pets as permitted. I could not find specific rules, so check the declaration and rules in the status certificate if you have a pet.

Living just west of King and Bathurst

You are at the western edge of the King West restaurant strip. Queen West and Trinity Bellwoods are a walk north, and Fort York and the lake are south across the rail corridor. Clock Tower Lofts sits across King at the north-west corner of Bathurst.

Suites facing King hear the streetcar and evening traffic. Suites facing the inner courtyard or Wellington are usually quieter. For transit, schools and Walk Score, see the data panel on this page.

The area has changed completely since 1984. Low industrial buildings along King and Wellington have been replaced by mid-rise condos, and that work continues. Ask what is proposed on nearby lots, especially if a suite’s view or light depends on a low building next door.

Some of the lowest prices per foot on King West

Condos.ca puts the average at about $678 per square foot. That is well below most newer King West buildings, and a big reason buyers look here: you get an 800 to 1,000 sq ft suite for what a small new one-bedroom costs a few blocks east.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance, parking and water. Heat and hydro are not listed as included, so ask for an owner’s recent utility bills to get the true monthly cost. A fee that looks reasonable can climb once you add an electric or gas bill for a large suite.

There were no active listings when I checked. A low price per foot in an older building is not automatically good value. It is good value if the reserve fund is healthy. If it is underfunded, the discount is the market pricing in future costs. Also remember that fees scale with size, so a 900 sq ft suite here will usually carry a higher monthly fee in dollars than a small new one-bedroom, even if it costs less per foot. My building sold report will give you recent sales here.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Summit

Two pools and squash courts make this a resort-style amenity package by downtown standards. They are shared across the complex, so ask how the costs are split. If you would use them, they replace a gym membership and then some.

Jatin’s honest take on The Summit

The Summit — frequently asked questions

Looking at Queen West, Trinity-Bellwoods, Kensington and Little Italy more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.